Spring Break...yippee!

Claire's on Spring Break this week. I wish that entailed some elaborate vacation plans (totally deserve it) but, alas, no. Claire's assignment this week is to take "Flat Stanley", a paper cut-out from school, on adventures over break and write about them in a journal. The teacher's way of getting their brains from melting down completely, I suppose. So far our "Stanley" has made it to Nana & Papa's house (Monday) and to the mall today. I'm sure our mini adventures won't compare to the trips to Florida, Arizona, and the like, but we're trying. We're even taking pictures. I'll try to post some tomorrow. Right now I'm typing upstairs and the camera is downstairs...forgive me.  It's getting late and I used much of my energy spending an HOUR in the toy store trying to use a $20 gift card Claire got for her birthday. We had to look at everything, yes-literally everything, in the store before she decided on her purchase, a rubber dragon and a Tinker Bell fairy. Yes, one HOUR for that. She was happy, me not as much, we still have six bucks on the card. ugh.

Party day

Today I have nine 7 year olds coming over for an art birthday party. Oh...the kicker is that I'm recovering from a migraine. Still have a twinge...will I survive? Sure hope so. Tune in later to find out!

How do they...

Saturday I tried to heat up a cup of coffee. There I am, half dazed, waiting for the stupid microwave to hurry up because a minute is too long to wait for coffee any day. Coach and I have the following conversation:

Coach: "How long have you known the microwave isn't working?"

Me: Still staring at the microwave like it could predict the future. "What?"

Coach: "The microwave, how long have you known it's not working?"

Me: "What?" Obviously I didn't have coffee yet. Then it dawned on me. "Maybe yesterday, when I tried to heat a potato up for 21 minutes and it didn't cook. I thought it was just a bad potato."

Coach: Trying hard not to laugh, but not succeeding. "Seriously, you cooked it for that long and thought it was the potato? SERIOUSLY??"

Me: "Yes, Seriously. Why would I lie about that?" I really did think it was the potato. It was an OLD potato. Then I realized damn I guess that means no coffee.

Okay, I will admit, it wasn't one of my proudest moments. But the story is true. 

I want to know how appliances know you're getting a tax refund and break down just in time? Do they smell it or what???

Missing Tooth

I sent Claire to her Father's house this weekend and it finally happened. She lost the snaggly, gnarled, tooth that has been in her mouth way too long. He bugged her, and me, about it incessantly! I re-assured him, as did Claire, AND the dentist that it would come out eventually. Imagine that, we were all actually RIGHT!

Quite a b-day weekend for the bean. She comes back this morning and we're going to a gem and mineral show. Let's just say that she's a rock lover. We actually own a rock polisher. Plus, you can buy fossils cheap. Not every kid's idea of a good time, but Claire LOVES it. And her Papa loves taking her. We're off to find a treasure!

Birthday Birthday

Not mine this time. Claire is seven tomorrow! Wow! Where did all that time go? It happens so fast. One day you're cuddling them snug in a blankie you blink and they're running out the door with a backpack. Today was Claire's school party. I made cupcakes, I went econo this year. They turned out pretty good. I would love to post a picture of my stellar creation, but only the laptop (without easy camera connection) is working. The other got fried in a freak power surge. That's another story.

Happy Birthday to my girl, who will always be little to me. 

Next weekend...the party. Yowza! 

Love-ly...not really

Let's just say that today didn't start out too well. First, when I went to take Claire to school this morning, there was no car seat in my car. Coach used it to take one of Claire's friends from school home on Saturday and forgot to put it back. Okay, no biggie. Then I go to turn on the car. Figures, on E. I mean literally on E. Fine. I'll just stop at the gas station on the way to school. Get there pull in swipe my debit card...DENIED. What? Okay, maybe the card. So I fish in my wallet for another card. Swipe the credit card...DENIED. Okay, now I'm getting a little pissed. And now we are running late. I go in to talk to the attendant. Blah, blah, we're having problems with the pump...fine. Swipe it inside...DENIED. I have entered the twilight zone. At this point the only explanation that makes any sense. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! So, luckily for some crazy odd reason I have the check book. I know that if I don't get gas, I'm not going to make it home or to school. So I beg the lady to take a check. She agrees but needs to copy my driver's license. Fine, but could we make it snappy, still have to get my kid to school. Finally...she gets back from the copy room and lets me write the check. Claire was late. I did my best, but still late. 

So that was my morning, how was yours?

By the way, one card had a security breach and is being re-issued, the other we had to charge a team meal on when we were on our road trip. They put a hold on the account to verify the card wasn't stolen. Helpful info. before I pump gas.

It all comes down to this

Well...all good things  must come to an end. That's what happened last night. Our season ended. It doesn't matter so much that we lost but that it's over. It is hard to say goodbye to this season because it means saying goodbye to our first class of recruits. That's the hard part for me. Many of these young ladies seem like an extension of our family. We just spend so much time with them it's hard not to get attached.

Claire was upset, too. Her and the other coach's daughter were actually crying at the game. I never expected her to take it so hard. I think it was a combination of the game and being over-tired. None the less, it broke my heart a little. When we got back to the hotel, she told Coach that he was the best coach ever and that she wanted him to coach next year. You can plan on that, Claire.

On the bright side, I get my husband back! At least for awhile. A few months, at least. 

Now we just have the long drive home...

Winning=Pool!

We are at a Regional Tournament. It was a 3.5 hour trip in cramped vans for our family and team. Thank you God for portable DVD players and the Nintendo DS! We weren't totally unscathed by a rash of "are we there yet??" but they did pretty good. Especially Claire. 

We went from a crowded van to a noisy gym. Not what you want to hear when your six and dreaming of swimming in a pool. The kicker...we had to win to be able to stay.

Claire and her friends (the assistant coach's children) were so cute. They would play and then say a prayer. "Look it's working!" they would declare at 10 minute intervals throughout the entire game.  Heaven only knows what the prayer was for, my guess swimming. Whatever they did, it did in fact, work. We WON! We're staying and Claire and her friends get to swim. 

It was so nice to see the team playing with smiles instead of frustration. Our next game is tonight at 8 p.m. Wish us luck...a few prayers couldn't hurt either. You can bet the kids will be praying about the pool. Whatever works, let's stick with that.

Packing

Let's just say I'm not a fan of packing. That's what I have to do today. We're going with the team to Regionals on Wednesday. Claire just wants to know when I'm gonna "spring her out of school." She makes it seem like I'm plotting a jailhouse escape. Not really the case. I already talked with her teacher who assured me she could find some work to send with Claire on her trip. So today it's laundry and packing. Tomorrow errands. I have to make sure the pups have enough food while we're gone or they might take to the lazy susan and help themselves. I don't want that! 

I'm off to make coffee...caffeine makes everything better. Don't you agree?